


Matching scars

by shaardom



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Humor, M/M, No Angst, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Two Shot, literally just things happening and the main characters coming to terms with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 05:26:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10960632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shaardom/pseuds/shaardom
Summary: [Soulmate AU]"Richard Campbell Gansey III, I trusted you with my brother !"Declan Lynch didn't even knock before storming in, too eager to release his fury in this characteristic Lynch manner. Adam stopped copying runes, curious to hear about what Ronan did."Did he die or got heavily injured ?"Gansey made it sound like both were plausible and proper hypothesis. Declan remained quiet, contemplating the idea of a double-murder.





	1. We didn't need fate

**Author's Note:**

> Or, a soulmate AU in which the OTP doesn't fight the world to get together and doesn't wait until either of them is nearly dying to do so.
> 
> I need a break from angst. Enjoy !

Adam ran to the bathroom, wailing in pain. What kind of soulmate gets a tattoo past midnight ? He contorted himself in front of the mirror, attempting to see the lines inking his tan skin. Someone has to record it for him. He walked to the phone, emitting a quiet groan, trying to shush himself as much as possible not to wake his parents up.

"Gansey !"

"Did you finally decide to move in ?"

"It's happening, I need you to pick me up."

"What ?"

He still sound sleepy. Adam rolled his eyes, gathering the essentials for a night out.

"Nevermind, I'll walk."

"Let's meet on the way ?"

"Sounds good."

Another rush of adrenaline shook him to the core. He isn't meant to be alone. Whether he will find his other half is not something he wants to worry about before the end of his studies. He snuck out of his home and walked to the highway. The noisy Camaro greeted him shortly after. He is glad that it didn't get anywhere closer from his house. Otherwise, the whole neighborhood would have been alerted.

"Show me," is how Gansey greeted him.

"When we'll be at Monmouth. You'll take a picture as well."

"Deal." Gansey sighed with amusement. "Your belt please."

Adam secured it, and off they went. He is thrilled, although he never showed an ounce of caring as it happened — or not — to people around him. Soulmate or not, will his life change that much ?

" _Fuck._ It hurts like a _fucking_ —"

He alternatively curled up against the car's door and arched his back in a nearly obscene way, not to mention the breathless gasps. Gansey shot him a worried glance.

"Can you not end your sentence there ? It's disturbing."

"— like a fucking bitch. Happy ?"

"We're here. Do you need help standing ?"

"I'll manage, thanks."

What kind of soulmate gets a tattoo in the back ? he wondered. They're either very brave or very stupid. Gansey and him hurried upstairs, where Adam finally agreed to take off his shirt and show him the beginning of his tattoo.

"It's _huge._ "

Gansey paused. Frustration made Adam want to throw his hands over his head. What happened to avoiding weird sentences ?

"I wonder what kind of girl would like that on her body," Gansey finally added.

Adam raised a brow. This sentence isn't any better and any girl could, as long as they had thoroughly weighed their options before taking this step. He learned to stop picking on his friend's prejudices sometimes.

"Show me !"

"Stop moving," Gansey sighed.

He took the picture then showed it to Adam. The said person looked horrified. His dad had literally no understanding of that process. Adam is a hundred percent sure that he'll get murdered if his half-tattoo was discovered.

"How long am I going to wear that ? I need to find her as soon as possible !"

Over the night, the pattern got complex. Half of his back was filled with ink, only black. It was pretty, but Adam could hardly imagine who wore the other half. He had something like a wing, part of a map and more symbols he didn't know of. Hopefully, Gansey decided to help him with the research. They stayed up the whole night as no one could sleep.

  


The answer came with the morning lights, bold, massive, unavoidable.

  


"Richard Campbell Gansey III, I trusted you with my brother !"

Declan Lynch didn't even knock before storming in, too eager to unleash his fury in this characteristic Lynch manner. Adam stopped copying runes, curious to hear about what Ronan did.

"Did he die or got heavily injured ?"

Gansey made it sound like both were plausible and proper hypothesis. Declan remained quiet, contemplating the idea of a double-murder.

"Can you please tell me what happened ? I'm no magician."

Adam snorted. Gansey indulged him with a smile. Declan shoot both a killer glance. This is the only time he'll bother noticing the scolarship student.

"He spent nine hundred dollars on a fucking _tattoo_."

If not for his strong composure, Gansey would have spat his leaf of mint.

"What kind of tattoo ?" Adam calmly asked.


	2. We already knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam and Gansey get the key to deciphering the tattoo... will the answer be that unexpected ? (Spoiler alert : no, it won't.)

"Does it even matter ? Now Gansey would you please..."

Neither Adam nor Gansey were listening, having an intense, silent conversation.

"Declan, I'm afraid that you'll have to come back a bit later. My apologizes."

Adam nodded at Gansey's words then they both hurried downstairs again, to the Camaro. There's only one place where Ronan can hide, in which he can't be found against his will.

 

Which is indeed Cabeswater. They found him laying by the river. He didn't flinch as they got closer. Gansey knelt next to him to touch his shoulder and — eventually — wake him up. It's worth mentionning that Adam had voted for kicking his ribs. Ronan didn't say anything, unsure what to think about Gansey's curious gaze and Adam's anxiousness. He sat up and crossed his legs, waiting for the first blame.

"Can we see it ?" Gansey asked.

"Hell yes, you can."

Ronan jumped on his feet.

"Half of it, obviously..."

Adam stepped forward and carefully traced the sharply cut symbols. Ronan tensed up. Adam blinked and the artwork on Ronan's back was suddenly complete. He's pretty sure that his own skin is cleared.

Gansey was far from these thoughts, trying to read the symbols and understanding them with the knowledge they had acquired over the night. A raven, the ley lines. Crosses and so much more, all moving as Ronan straightened his back in response to Adam's touch.

"It's beautiful... and whole."

Ronan looked over his shoulder.

"You're fucking with me."

"I can assure you that we're not," Gansey said. "You should have a little talk, I'll be back soon."

Ronan fully turned around to face them. As Gansey left, only Adam and him remained.

"You knew."

Adam didn't know why did his voice sound so accusing. No one ever knows.

"It doesn't have to mean anything."

Adam can tell it's a lie, because Ronan isn't used to lying, and he wants it to mean something.

"I thought you hated liars ?"

"I loathe myself," Ronan retorted.

And he was suddenly being honest there. Adam smirked. He shouldn't leave Ronan hanging but he loved that feeling of power too much for their own good.

"Then why did you say that ?"

"You know why, Parrish."

Because Adam would feel trapped otherwise, and run away without a second thought, without giving it a chance.

"You knew before getting that tattoo, didn't you ?"

That it was the both of them, that it would be, as complicated as it sounds. Adam regrets using the idea of knowledge again— it's impossible that Ronan knew anything.

"I... hoped so."

Ronan was unsure about whether he should keep talking. They can't pretend that it didn't happen. Adam's gaze fell on Ronan's bare chest. Old scars were scattered along his ribs. Adam's scars.

"Look, Parrish—"

"Give me a second."

His life laid flat on Ronan's skin made him feel weird. He totally forgot that it worked both ways, because Ronan barely ever bruised. Adam suddenly looked at his own arm, then at Ronan. Three scars were stretched from his wrist to his elbow. _A night horror's work._

__

__

"Are you alright ?"

Ronan is impressed by the level Adam's ire had reached. It can almost match Declan's now. Then Adam falls back to reality and tones it down, feeling less mad than humiliated. He stepped forward.

"May I..."

Ronan allowed Adam to clear his skin. He haltingly reached out for Adam's scarred arm. A minute later, both only wore their own marks. Ronan stepped back to slide his shirt on.

It could be the end of it, until more marks or bruises appeared. Adam is the type to fight fate. He does that all day long. But there's no point right now.

"Let's go."

Ronan sat on the ground again, against the same tree where they found him earlier.

"I'm staying here."

Adam offered his hand to help Ronan up. Ronan took it to casually plant a kiss on his palm, then leaned back against the trunk of the tree. Adam decided to sit next to him.

" _Fuck it_ ," he whispered. Ronan heard him and laughed. "I'm texting Gansey to leave without us. Is there network here ?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick explanation in case the rules of this AU weren't made clear enough : soulmates get half of whatever bruise/mark/drawing appears on one another's skin, and they get the whole thing back by touching it.
> 
> This story doesn't need any continuation, but I'll most likely write more soulmate aus because fate is a funny thing !


End file.
